Roethlisberger Says Dislocated Rib Could Puncture His Aorta

Nov. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Ben Roethlisberger has more than a
sprained shoulder that will force him to miss this week’s game
against the Baltimore Ravens. The Pittsburgh Steelers’
quarterback said today he also has a dislocated rib that could
puncture his aorta.

Byron Leftwich will make his first National Football League
start since 2009 as he replaces Roethlisberger for the Nov. 18
game at Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field. The Steelers (6-3) play the
American Football Conference North Division-leading Ravens (7-2)
twice in the next three weeks.

The Steelers said yesterday that Roethlisberger strained
his throwing shoulder when he was sacked during the third
quarter of last week’s 16-13 overtime win against the Kansas
City Chiefs. Roethlisberger today disclosed he also has the rib
injury, which he said is a bigger concern and will prevent him
from playing until it heals.

“That’s the more scary part because I guess if it goes in
the wrong direction it could puncture the aorta,”
Roethlisberger told reporters at the team’s training complex,
without saying how much time he might miss.

The aorta carries blood from the heart’s ventricle to all
the main arteries.

Roethlisberger, who has led the Steelers to two Super Bowl
titles in his nine NFL seasons, said his pain level is
“probably about a nine on a scale of 1-to-10” and that he’s
gotten about four hours of sleep in a chair the past two days.

Underdog Now

Without Roethlisberger, the Steelers are listed as 3-point
underdogs at home against the Ravens, according to the Las Vegas
Hotel’s Super Book. They had been listed as 3 1/2-point
favorites for the game before Roethlisberger’s injury.

Roethlisberger has passed for 2,287 yards, 17 touchdowns
and four interceptions this season. Leftwich replaced him in the
second half against the Chiefs and completed 7-of-14 passes for
73 yards. Leftwich is 0-6 in his past six NFL starts, with his
last win as a starter coming in 2006.

“Byron gets enough reps in practice and incorporates the
plays that Ben likes to do,” Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey
said on the NFL Network. “We’re going to keep trying to roll
with the things that are going hot for us right now.”